Fleur de Lolly: Bread puddings aren’t just for dessert

By Laura TolbertMore Content Now

Friday

Sep 6, 2019 at 1:01 AM

We usually think of bread puddings as rich desserts with drizzled caramelized toppings. Bread puddings are a bread-based dessert that includes stale bread, milk or cream, eggs, sugar and other ingredients such as raisins or nuts.However, savory bread puddings are delicious for breakfast or easy dinnertime meals such as this Savory Bacon Bread Pudding.SAVORY BACON BREAD PUDDING8 eggs1 cup half and half1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt1/2 cup sour cream1 cup shredded cheddar cheese1 tablespoon Dijon mustardSalt and pepper1 tablespoon thyme leaves, plus a sprig or two for garnish6 thick slices bread, cubed6 slices bacon, fried and crumbledPreheat oven to 350 degrees.Break the eggs into a medium sized bowl and whisk until well blended. Add half and half, yogurt and sour cream. Blend until smooth. Stir in cheese, mustard, salt, pepper and thyme.Lightly coat a large shallow baking dish with butter or cooking spray. Layer the bread cubes evenly. Pour the egg mixture over the bread cubes and top with bacon crumbles. Bake for 30-33 minutes until browned and bubbly.BUTTERY CRAB BREAD PUDDINGWhen you want to impress your dinner guests with an exquisite meal, this recipe from the February 2012 edition of Food and Wine magazine is an excellent choice.10 oz. lump crab meat, picked over for any loose pieces of shell fragments1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley1 tablespoon finely chopped chives2 teaspoons fresh lemon juicePinch of cayenne pepperKosher salt and freshly ground black pepper1 stick unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing the dish1 24-inch day-old baguette, ends trimmed, bread cut into 3/4 inch slices4 large eggs1 cup milk1 cup half and half1 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon pepperPreheat the oven to 350 degrees and butter a 9x13-inch ceramic baking dish. In a medium bowl, toss the crab meat with the parsley, chives, lemon juice and cayenne. Season the mixture with salt and black pepper.Butter each baguette slice and stand up the slices in the prepared baking dish. Using a spoon, tuck the crab mixture evenly between the slices of bread.In a bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk, half and half, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Pour the custard evenly over the bread and let stand for 10 minutes.Bake the bread pudding for 30 minutes until the top is lightly browned and the custard is set. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.SAVORY BREAD PUDDING WITH HAM AND SPINACHThis version is perfect for those weekends when you have overnight guests.Assemble this breakfast dish the night before and refrigerated overnight. While the coffee brews, place into the oven with no stress on your part. Serve with fresh fruit.8 eggs3 cups milk8 cups French bread cubes (3/4 inch)1 10 oz. pkg. chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry1 cup cubed cooked ham8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese (divided)Whisk eggs and milk in a large bowl until well blended. Stir in bread. Add spinach, ham and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese; mix lightly.Pour into 13x9 baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; top with remaining cheese. Cover; refrigerate overnight.Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake, uncovered 48 to 50 minutes, or until the top is puffed and golden brown.Laura Tolbert, also known as Fleur de Lolly, has been sharing recipes, table decor ideas and advice for fellow foodies and novices on her blog, fleurdelolly.blogspot.com for more than eight years. She won the Duke Mayonnaise 100th Anniversary nationwide recipe contest for her Alabama White BBQ Sauce. You can contact her at facebook.com/fleurde.lolly.5, on Instagram and fleurdelolly@yahoo.com.